- Home
- Prez. handout sets
- Non-English majors (warm-ups & tasks)
- ELT & the Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology)
- DIY Neuro-ELT
- Physical Activity in the ELT class
- Energy breaks
- Extensive Reading
- Reading aloud
- Questioning comprehension questions
- Language Learning & the Senses
- Task Planning
- Innervoice
- Imagination (mental imagery/guided journeys)
- Mind Maps
- Speaking tasks (dialogs)
- Talking about Japan
- Misc. fluency tasks
- English in 3D (a fresh look at traditional tasks)
- Engagement
- Firsthand, misc
- Odds and ends
- Learning to embrace rainy season
- Songs for kids' classes
- My students teaching kids
- John & Marc's BBQ
- Contact Marc
- Thanks, Mike!
- Extensive Reading
- Listening Links
- transfer
- Tohoku ELT EXPO2019
- Aomori BOE resource page
- Making learning visible Firsthand
- Christmas Party 2013
- Teach your passion
- Think page sign up
- •••
- TYS
- Kansai JACET links
- Marc's morning routine
- The History of your Future Success
- Mindsets: fixed & growth plus the Power of YET
- EF song project
- EF2 song project
- PELT
The brain, students and (aging) teachers.
This is the page that goes with my JALT2018 presentation
I recently read, “Brain rules for aging well – 10 Principles for Staying Vital, Happy and Sharp” by John Medina (2017. Seattle: Pear Press) as well as other books and articles about brain science and positive psychology. While all the principles are good, I found five related particularly well to my own teaching, my interests, students and my life.
This handout suggests ways I’m trying to apply the principles in my own life and in my classroom. I hope it is of use to you.
The November issue of the JALT Mind/Brain/Education Think Tank newsletter is on aging and the brain. You can download it (along with past issues) at www.neuroELT.org.
This handout suggests ways I’m trying to apply the principles in my own life and in my classroom. I hope it is of use to you.
The November issue of the JALT Mind/Brain/Education Think Tank newsletter is on aging and the brain. You can download it (along with past issues) at www.neuroELT.org.
Get enough (but not too much) sleep.
Ideas for us as teachers
The problem for most students is not “too much.” It is getting them to understand what sleep deprivation is actually doing to them. Sleep is important! • Read the 2 Brain SIG Think tank issues HERE. • You may or may not be able to “get away” with this one. I refuse to give tests during “test week.” Sleep is the time working (short term) memory becomes long term. If students aren’t getting enough sleep, they aren’t going to remember things anyway. A week of many tests is seriously stupid. • Shut off distractions. Teach students to shut down media at least 30 minutes before bed. |
Ways to share this with students.
• Teach sleep science: lesson plan & download HERE ) • Teens need about 9 hours of sleep every day. You probably can’t convince them, but at least tell them it is true. • ER (Extensive Reading) people: CUP has a book called Do Not Disturb: The importance of Sleep (Discovery readers). It has great information on sleep. Get students to read it. • Check out this video on sleep deprivation: Maybe have students watch it in pairs, stopping after each item to talk about the meaning. You can turn on the English subtitles and/or adjust the speed for better comprehension. • When a student falls asleep in class, maybe ask how s/he is doing. They may really need the sleep. (Be aware. And kind.). |
Increase mindfulness
• Walk. Slowly. With awareness. It really helps. HERE’s a great youtube video that will support you through a walking meditation:
Note: Keep your eyes open during walking meditation. You don’t want to fall down or get run over! • Do yoga breathing. (out) 1-2-3-4-5-6 (hold) 1-2-3-4-5 (in) 1-2-3-4 (hold) 1-2-3-4-5 Continue many times. Click for graphic |
• Teach them metta (Loving Kindness Compassion) meditation. I do this in a reading class as part of a “traditional Asian healing” unit.
The same page has a link to a good guided meditation on youtube. • Teach students yoga breathing (left column). This is useful any time they want to control their own mental state (big tests, job interviews, before presentations, etc.) The good thing about yoga breathing is you can do it “privately in public.” • Teach them savoring (slowing down to really appreciate good things.) Several activities HERE. • You can even do mindfulness activities with children. See activities and information about the University of Wisconsin's Center for Healthy Mind’s “kindness curriculum” HERE. |
Cultivate an attitude of gratitude
What do you do to thank all those people at your school who help you (the dept. assistants, the cleaning people, the people at the/co-op/ bookstore. Do something.
• Are there any of your teachers (or other people) who really changed your life? Write them a gratitude letter. Click HERE for English Click HERE for Japanese Lately I’ve been playing with “Random acts of kindness that no one will ever thank me for” (because no one knows who did them). Examples: • leaving onigiri rice balls and cans of coffee next to homeless people who are sleeping. • dropping small denomination foreign coins in parks where children will find these “foreign treasures.” • putting googly eyes in places that will make people laugh. |
There are many tasksheets on my website. Check out: • Thank you to the world • My Gratitude list • I really appreciate • Happiness (gratitude) journal • 3 good things happened today • 5 photos of good things in my life (3 versions of a mindful photography activity) • Compliments • Random acts of kindness. Several related activities on this page.. • Random acts that are never thanked. (see the ideas in the left-hand column) |
It’s never to late to learn – or to teach.
• Just the fact that we are teachers means we are doing this (at least the teaching part). And for those of us who are older but spend our days with 18-22 year olds, that can’t hurt.
• What are you doing to learn new things or learn about new aspects of teaching. A few things I’ve done in recent years include studying/ connecting positive psychology (The “Science of Happiness”) to ELT. I’m doing the same thing with Brain Science via the JALT Mind/Brain/ Education SIG. I’m also interested in physical activity in the classroom and multi-sensory learning. |
• Try to do something each month (or week!) that shows your passion for what you do. I recently did a crowd-sourced brainstorm on this on Facebook. The ideas are HERE.
• Share some of what you are learning and excited about in a way students can get excited about it, too. (As I write this, I’m launching a ‘student brain book extensive reading project’ to see if my enthusiasm for ER and brain science can show them that books on the topic can be interesting. Will it work? I have no idea. But it seems worth trying. See the note about the CUP Discovery Readers in the “sleep” section. There are about 8 readers in that series that do real information about brain science). |
Exercise (Physical movement in the classroom)
• Turn on the “step counter” on your phone. Goal: 10,000 steps/day
• Only sit down for specific activities: (story telling, discussion) • Medina suggests dancing (a trifecta: exercise, social contact and non-medical, physical touching. Great. But hey, a lot of us old white males aren’t good at dancing!. • consider a standing desk. (I did this 2.5 years ago. At that time, I was going to acupuncture every month to deal with neck and shoulder pain. Since getting a standing desk, I’ve only gone once. Amazon.jp has them from about 5000 yen. I had a space problem so just got a tall computer desk and put it together wrong (big shelf on the top for my computer/desk. Printer on a lower shelf.) |
• Teach them this little bit of brain science: When they sit for 20 minutes, blood builds up in the feet, lower legs and buttocks. When they move for 1 minute, there is a 15% increase of blood (and oxygen) to your brain. This is why they get sleepy in class.
• Don’t pass out handouts. Have students come to the front to get them (Get’s them up and moving). • Do short activities (drills, dialogs, etc.) standing. More ideas HERE. • Pair discussion: Walk & talk. Have them stand and walk as they talk. • ENERGY BREAKS Short (<5-minute physical activities plus a bit of brain science presented in ways students understand.) |
References and links:
Note: because I want readers to easily find links to information they are interested, I am treating these references more as notes than as a strictly bibliographic reference list. They appear in the order of entry on the webpage/presentation rather than in alphabetical order. Also, topics are mentioned.
Medina, J. (2017) Brain Rules for Aging Well: 10 Principles for Staying Vital, Happy, and Sharp. Seattle: Pear Press. Amazon.co.jp link HERE:
Helgesen, M. (2018) English Teaching and the Science of Happiness: Positive Psychology Communication Activities for Language Learners. Tokyo: Abax.
Sleep
How to get a good night’s sleep. Information from: University of Michigan Campus Mind Works. Retrieved from: http://campusmindworks.org/students/self_care/sleep.asp
Infographic: Your brain on sleep. From:
Kolowich, L. The Science of Sleep: What Happens During the 5 Stages of Your Sleep Cycle. (web log). Retrieved from: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/science-of-
sleep#sm.00001kj6xivy8rexfqy66sqscmqcq (citations at bottom of infographic).
Barba, R. (2015) For Better Sleep, Establish a Sleep Ritual. (web log). Retrieved from: https://tech.co/better-sleep-establish-sleep-ritual-infographic-2015-04 (citations at bottom of infographic).
Helgesen, M. (n.d.) The Science of Sleep & the Brain. Retrieved from https://bzreading.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/2/5/11251138/science_of_sleep.pdf
Kocienda, G. (2014). Do Not Disturb: The Importance of Sleep. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Youtube video:
List 25 [screeb name]. (2013, Dec. 18) 25 Scary And Surprising Effects Of Sleep Deprivation. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbJxLITdt_E
Mindfulness
Loving Kindness meditation:
Fredrickson, B. (2013). Love 2.0: How our Supreme Emotions Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become. New York: Hudson Street Press.
University of New Hampshire Health & Wellness (2011, Dec. 21)
Loving Kindness Mediation: Meditative Practice for College Students Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz7cpV7ERsM
Savoring:
Bryant, F. and Veroff, J. (2007) Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Center for Healthy Minds (Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison) The Kindness Curriculum: Keys to Kindness and Well-Being. Retrieved from: https://centerhealthyminds.org/join-the-movement/sign-up-to-receive-the-kindness-curriculum
Gratitude:
Emmons, R. (2007). Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude can make you Happier. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Gratitude letters:
Seligman, M. (2011) Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being. New York: Free Press.
Exercise:
Blood to the brain:Sousa, D. (2006). How the Brain Learns (3rd edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Suzuki, W. (2015). Healthy Brain, Happy Life. New York: Dey Street.
Suzuki, W. (2017, November) The Brain Changing Benefits of Exercise. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/wendy_suzuki_the_brain_changing_benefits_of_exercise
Note: because I want readers to easily find links to information they are interested, I am treating these references more as notes than as a strictly bibliographic reference list. They appear in the order of entry on the webpage/presentation rather than in alphabetical order. Also, topics are mentioned.
Medina, J. (2017) Brain Rules for Aging Well: 10 Principles for Staying Vital, Happy, and Sharp. Seattle: Pear Press. Amazon.co.jp link HERE:
Helgesen, M. (2018) English Teaching and the Science of Happiness: Positive Psychology Communication Activities for Language Learners. Tokyo: Abax.
Sleep
How to get a good night’s sleep. Information from: University of Michigan Campus Mind Works. Retrieved from: http://campusmindworks.org/students/self_care/sleep.asp
Infographic: Your brain on sleep. From:
Kolowich, L. The Science of Sleep: What Happens During the 5 Stages of Your Sleep Cycle. (web log). Retrieved from: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/science-of-
sleep#sm.00001kj6xivy8rexfqy66sqscmqcq (citations at bottom of infographic).
Barba, R. (2015) For Better Sleep, Establish a Sleep Ritual. (web log). Retrieved from: https://tech.co/better-sleep-establish-sleep-ritual-infographic-2015-04 (citations at bottom of infographic).
Helgesen, M. (n.d.) The Science of Sleep & the Brain. Retrieved from https://bzreading.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/2/5/11251138/science_of_sleep.pdf
Kocienda, G. (2014). Do Not Disturb: The Importance of Sleep. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Youtube video:
List 25 [screeb name]. (2013, Dec. 18) 25 Scary And Surprising Effects Of Sleep Deprivation. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbJxLITdt_E
Mindfulness
Loving Kindness meditation:
Fredrickson, B. (2013). Love 2.0: How our Supreme Emotions Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become. New York: Hudson Street Press.
University of New Hampshire Health & Wellness (2011, Dec. 21)
Loving Kindness Mediation: Meditative Practice for College Students Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz7cpV7ERsM
Savoring:
Bryant, F. and Veroff, J. (2007) Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Center for Healthy Minds (Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison) The Kindness Curriculum: Keys to Kindness and Well-Being. Retrieved from: https://centerhealthyminds.org/join-the-movement/sign-up-to-receive-the-kindness-curriculum
Gratitude:
Emmons, R. (2007). Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude can make you Happier. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Gratitude letters:
Seligman, M. (2011) Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being. New York: Free Press.
Exercise:
Blood to the brain:Sousa, D. (2006). How the Brain Learns (3rd edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Suzuki, W. (2015). Healthy Brain, Happy Life. New York: Dey Street.
Suzuki, W. (2017, November) The Brain Changing Benefits of Exercise. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/wendy_suzuki_the_brain_changing_benefits_of_exercise